Doctors may soon be able to tell how wealthy their patients are purely by
looking at the chemicals in their blood.

A new study has found that different types of chemicals build up in people's bodies depending on their socioeconomic status.

While some chemicals, such as those associated with smoking, tend to be found in people who are poorer, they found others that are predominantly found in the rich.

Levels of a chemical found in sunscreen, for example, were found to be higher in those with wealthier lifestyles.

Mercury and arsenic levels were also higher among richer individuals because they eat more fish and shellfish, where these metals can accumulate.

Jessica Tyrell, an epidemiologist who led the research at the European Centre for Environment and Human Health at Exeter University, said: "We have shown that chemicals do accumulate in everybody, but importantly the type of chemical is dependent on your wealth.

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"We found the build up of 18 chemicals were closely linked to socioeconomic status. The accumulation of these chemicals is dependent on your lifestyle.

"Diet is particularly important in people of increased wealth. More fish and shellfish consumption seemed to be linked to increased mercury levels within these people.

"In individuals of lower socioeconomic status, we saw smoking was particularly important in determining lead and cadmium levels."

The researchers, whose findings are published in the journal Environmental International, examined the presence of 179 chemicals that accumulate at low levels in the human body.

The urine and blood of more than 22,000 participants involved in a US study tested and the researchers then compared the presence of the chemicals against their socioeconomic status.

They found nine chemicals seemed to be mainly associated with people with higher incomes and social status.

These included arsenic and mercury came from seafood along with thallium, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorononaoic acid.

Benzophenone-3, a component in sunscreen, was also associated with higher wealth.

Mono (carboxyoctyl) phthalate, which is found in the packaging used for food and personal care products such as shampoo, were also elevated in the rich.

They found that chemicals associated with cigarettes and living near to or working in heavy industry, such as thallium, cadmium and lead, were found more in those from poorer backgrounds.

Other chemicals associated with ready meal food packaging were also found more often in those of lower socioeconomic status.

Dr Tyrrell added it was suprising to see so many chemicals that appear to be associated with wealthier individuals.

Recently the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists sparked concern among expectant mothers by advising them not to use non-stick frying pans, buying new furniture or painting due to concerns about the levels of chemicals they could expose their unborn children too.

They were attempting to dispell fears of chemical scare stories about the impact these chemicals can have on human health.

But it warned that it was better to take precautions despite the dangers being little understood.

Dr Tyrrell said: "Exposure to chemicals is increasing and therefore our body burdens of complex chemical mixtures are also increasing.

"Currently we know little about the health effects of chemicals mixtures in the body. The main theory is that people closer to the poverty threshold are at greater risk of having higher levels of chemicals.

"The majority of focus is on reducing chemical burden in more deprived individuals, our research suggests that we should look at everyone not just poorer individuals."